Alyssa raised her chin and confidently strode toward Jasper. He could feel his heart racing as he watched her approach, his whole body tensing up with anticipation. He desperately wanted to approach her.
Frowning deeply, Zoe tightened her grip on Jasper possessively. She could tell that Jasper knew the beautiful Alyssa. More than that, he seemed to care about Alyssa a lot!
Just as Jasper believed Alyssa was headed toward him, she breezed past him.
âChristina!â Alyssa left behind an astonished Jasper and called out to someone with a wide smile.
âOh! My sweetheart!â Christina strolled over from the far end of the corridor, waving excitedly at Alyssa as though they were long-lost friends. They evidently shared a close bond.
The three men stared agape. Even Zoe was dumbfounded at the scene. Christina had always been distant and aloof. Throughout their three-year mentorship, she seldom praised Zoe and often appeared annoyed.
What did Alyssa do to elicit a rare smile from Christina?
âDarling, I did not know you were in Solana City! I would have freed up my time to have lunch with you!â
Christina exclaimed, embracing Alyssa with delight.
âYou had your rehearsals to attend to. I wouldnât want to interfere with your commitments,â Alyssa spoke Grunslandish fluently in a singsong voice.
Naturally, she was dealing with Christina as Sharon. They were close to each other because Christina had commissioned more than one gown from her.
Alyssa possessed a charm that allowed her to effortlessly form friendships with those she collaborated with.
Memories flooded Jasperâs mind when he saw Alyssa conversing with a renowned pianist. His shoulders trembled, and he almost blacked out.
When Alyssa was newly married to him, sheâd smile at him, bright-eyed.
Like any young lady, sheâd chatter about anything she deemed interesting. However, he had been too self-
absorbed to give her the attention she deserved.
Over time, Alyssa slowly transformed into a taciturn woman, an almost invisible figure who quietly shared her days with him at Seaview Manor.
During the three years, she withdrew from social interactions and did not form any friendships. Instead, she immersed herself in art and music.
Meanwhile, he found her uninteresting and incomparable to Liana in every conceivable way, even regarding her as a blemish on his life. 1 It ultimately became clear that he was the one responsible for nearly breaking Alyssa. His emotional abuse made her subdued and compliant.
Her profound love for him ended in tragedy, like the story of Titanic.
âJameson, come over!â Alyssaâs eyes shimmered as she looked beyond Jasper in search of Jameson.
She beamed and motioned at Jameson.
âComing.â Jameson hastily adjusted his tie and shirt. There was a hint of nervousness in his eyes as he approached Alyssa in great strides.
Jasper clenched his fists as he wallowed in bitterness. At the same time, Landon ground his teeth in jealousy. The two looked like brothers in trouble.
When Jameson rubbed shoulders with Jasper, he suddenly came to a stop. He adjusted his glasses and gave Jasper a smug and triumphant smile. His razor-sharp gaze cut through Jasperâs heart.
Jasper powerlessly watched as Jameson stood beside Alyssa.
He wondered if that was all he could do, watching on as a bystander. Was there no way to halt Alyssa and Jamesonâs budding relationship?
âJameson is a friend of mine. He and his mother are big fans of yours. Heâd love to get an autographed CD for his mom,â Alyssa introduced Jameson warmly to Christina.
âOK! Iâm more than willing to do so!â Christina was unusually nice to a stranger for Alyssaâs sake. Not only did she sign the CD, but she also asked her agent to take a group photo for them.
Everything looked so perfect at the moment. Bitterness coursed through Jasperâs veins.